Stocking.



F. P. HANDSCHUCK.

STOCKiNG.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.26.1913. Y

Patented May 15, 1917,

o an?. 5 o

FRANCS POETZSGH HANDSCHUCK, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

STOCKING.

Specicationof Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1917.

' Application led August 26, 1913. Serial No. 786,698.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRANCES Pon'rzsoHHANDSCHUCK, a citizen of the United States, residing atNew York, in thecounty of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Stockings, of whichthe following is. a'specification, theprinciple of the invention being herein enplainedand the best mode inVwhich I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguishit from other inventions.

'My invention relates toa stocking and particularly to reinforcedopenings in the upper portion thereof adapted to coperate with gartersnaps as the suspension agency.

The object is to provide openings 1n a plece of wearing apparel of thecharacter stated which shall be capable of resisting the strains towhich it is subjected when supported considerably stretched as requiredby neatness without occasioning the objectionable feature of localizedstiffness likely to cause abrasions of the skin or other discomfort.

A further object is to doubly insure against loose threads at theopenings. 2Another ob-l ject is to make its manufacture sufficientlyeconomical.

Stockings'or the like are usually maintainedl stretched upon the leg ofthe wearer through the agency of a dependent garter` suspensioncomprising one or more clamps or snaps adapted to engagethe upperportion of the stocking. When the stocking is v gripped or clampeddirectly, so as to 4wedge a portion thereof, a tear frequently ensueswith the result thatone or more longitudinal strands becomes loosened orunraveled and-thereby irritate the esthetic sense. I am aware of oneeffort to obviate the likelihood of` this happening which is attested byUnited States Letters Patent, No. 962,089 issued to one Newton.

More specific objects of my invention are:

rIo permit of the manufactureof a stocking or the like capable ofsatisfactorily fulfilling the purpose of this invention, entirely bymachine operation. Y

To permit of the manufacture of a stocking employing no distinct orspecial reinforcing strips.

According to my invention I manufacture the lower or major portion ofthe-stocking separate from the upper cap or band to which the suspensionkmeans becomes attached. The lower or major portion of the lselvagedopening. view of the portion seen in Fig. II after the stocking `may beof any suitable type. The i upper cap is of tubular form and isfashioned with a plurality of sets of openings alined respectively inthe direction of the longitudinal dimension of the finished stocking.These openings are fashioned with selvaged edges during themanufactureof the cap itself. Next I contrive tol fold the cap midway ofits length so as to bring dif-y ferent pairs of openingsin the samealinement into registration with each other. Thereafter each pair ofregistering selvaged openingsy are button-hole-stitchcd together,thereby fixing the contiguous surfaces of the 1 cap surrounding theopenings with respect to each other as shown in Figure VII. Finally thetwo free edges of theO cap are ,firmly sewn to the-upper edge of themajor portion of the stocking which may be of stock manufacture.

My inventive conception while simple is highly effective. It does notaffect in any way the softness-and iiexibility of the upper part of thestocking, which by reason of being spanned owing to its proximity to thesuspension medium lwould otherwise very likely bear and rubuncomfortably against 'the flesh. It does not hinder t-he facility withwhich'jthe fingers can bring one or the other of the openings intoposition for intersection by7 the clasp. It does attain a twofoldreinforcing medium in the combination of two selvaged edges which arebuttonhole-stitched together without sacrificing the pliableness whichis desirable.

With reference now to the drawing:

Fig. I is a perspective View of the lower and major portion of thestocking. Fig. II is a perspective view of the upper portion -of thestocking after the firstoperation of its manufacture. Fig. III is anenlarged plan of one portion of Fig. II showing a Fig. IV is aperspective second operation. Fig, V is a similarly enlarged verticalsection on line V V of Fig. IV. Fig. VI is a perspective view of theportion represented in Fig. IV following the completion of the thirdoperation. Fig. VII is a similarly enlarged vertical section on ylineVII VII of Fig. VI. Fig. VIII is an enlarged plan of one.v portion ofFig. VI. Fig. IX is a perspective view of the finished Stocking.'

The lower or major portion which may be of stock manufacture, since itpurposely should be equal.

four each. The spacing of the distinct longitudinal alinements withregard to each other is by no means necessarily fiXed, nor the spacingbetween any two openings of any particular alinement. It is only thespacing of corresponding pairs of openings in the several up and downalinements which lt should be understood that these selvaged openingsshould be fashioned into the portion 2 during its machine manufactureaccording. to the view of Fig.

I III. The'neXt step in the process of manufacture is the folding overof the portion 2 midway of its longitudinal extent so that, according tothe chosen eXemplification, the two upper openings in anyone of thealinements now register respectively with the two lower openings in thesame alinement, as Seen in Figlv. l

Following the operation just mentioned each pair of registering openings3 is buttonhole-stitched together as indicated in Figs. Vl--VH and VIII,thereby binding the folded portions of the cap 2 with respect to eachother and also pronouncedly reinforcing the openings 3. Suchreinforcement is established both by reason of the double thicknessimparted to the edges of the iinished openings, by -reason of theselvaged edges of such openings and by reason of the stitchingV threads4 in and of themselves. l

The lower edge 5 of the cap 2 is preferably taken to be that edge, afterthe completion of the operation shown in Fig. Vl, which is open as'clearly seen in Figs. V 4and VH. Finally the edge 5 is afliXed in somesuitable manner to the upper edge of the portion one, as depicted inFig. 1X which alsodiscloses the application of two suspended garterclasps. s My invention being thus described with suiiicientthoroughness, what I desire to?4 secure by Letters Patent and thereforeclaim specifically is: v

l. A stocking formed above with a selvaged (opening, said opening beingfurthermore button-holestitched for the useful purpose specified.-

2. A stocking formed above with a double ply having registering selvagedopenings, the edges of said openingsbeing furthermorebutton-hole-stitched together, for the useful purpose specified.

3. A stocking having a two-ply band at the upper end, said ply beingfashioned with selvaged openings adapted to register, and means forbinding the edges of said openings together, for the useful purposespecified.

4. A stocking having its upper portion folded upon itself and providedwith a pluralityof selvaged openings in both body and fold portions,different pairs of openings in saidbody portion and fold respectivelybeing adapted to register,V each such registering pair of openings beingbutton-holestitched together, for dthe useful purpose specified. i i

Signed y by me, this 20th day of August, i913.

Attested by TERESA M. HANRAHAN,

ABRAHAM Wonrr.

YrRANors Porrzscii HANDSCHUCK.

